A Fife shopping centre put up for auction for £1 is to be kept for retail by its new owner.
Yorkshire-based Evergold Property, which bought the Postings in Kirkcaldy for £310,000, wants to develop it and rename it the Kirkcaldy Centre.
The company is marketing 14 vacant units for lease and is actively looking for tenants.
The firm’s Tahir Ali said they were already in advanced discussions with various operators for the former Tesco store and were talking to other prospective tenants offering a range of goods and services.
Evergold is also in talks with Fife Council about addressing the crumbling staircase at the centre’s rear entrance on Hill Street.
“With over 20 years’ experience within the commercial and residential property sector, the Evergold team has a wealth of experience in all aspects of property development,” said Mr Ali.
“We are all about adding value to properties, communities and master planning sites to ensure the most productive outcomes can be achieved for the local authorities and other partners that we work beside.”
Mr Ali added: “Our aim is to reposition and revitalise this centre for the benefit of the local communities.
“There are some attractive units here with an existing footfall averaging 15,000 people per week.”
Evergold has begun discussions with Kirkcaldy4All manager Bill Harvey about their shared interest in the town’s promotion.
Mr Harvey said he and Fife Council representatives had spoken to Mr Ali at length and were due to meet him again at the start of March.
“When he bought it it was not in a huge profit-making situation so he knows he has to invest to turn it around and make money,” he said.
“We look forward to further dialogue with him and hearing what his plans and aspirations are.
“We will do everything in our power to help him achieve that and to help the town centre.”
Evergold bought the 80,000 square feet Postings at auction on February 5, when bidding started at just £1.
Comprising 21 shop units, current tenants include Farmfoods, Lloyds Pharmacy, Stephens Bakers and Fife Council.
Bilal Ashraf of Shepherd Chartered Surveyors, which is marketing the vacant units for rent, said: “The new owner understands the challenges ahead and, with his vision and our expertise in the local and national markets, I am certain we can work together to make the Kirkcaldy Centre a great success.”
